Thomas a



(No Model) I T. A. EDISON.

ORE SEPARATOR.

No. 400.317. Patented Mar; 26, 1889.

WITNESSES INVBNTOR ATTORNEY N. PETERS, Pholo-Lhhognbher, Wishingien, QC.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE. I

THOMAS A. EDISON, OF MENLO PARK, N EWV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE EDISONORE MILLING COMPANY, (LIMITED) OF N EWV YORK, N. Y.

ORE-SEPARATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,317, dated March26, 1889. Application, filed August 25, 1882. Serial No. 70,289. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. EDISON, of Menlo Park, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and usefulImprovement in Ore-Separators, (Case 340;) and I do hereby declare. thatthe following is a full and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompany ing drawing, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon.

In United States Patent No. 228,329, granted to me June 1, 1880, I havedescribed and shown a method and apparatus for separating magnetic fromnon-magnetic substances by changing the trajectory of the magneticportion of a falling body of material without stopping its fall.

Now it is the object of my present invention to produce another methodand apparatus for separating mingled substances by acting upon thatportion of a falling body which is a good conductor of electricity andchanging its trajectory without stopping its fall, the invention beingespecially applicable to the separation from earth and sand of particlesof gold and other metals which are nonmagnetic but are good conductorsof electricity. This I accomplish by allowing the mingled substances tofall through a magnetic field and by'moving the magnet or magnets toshift the lines of force so as to change the trajectory of the goodconductors. The conducting particles in falling through the magneticfield cut the lines of force at right angles and have currents ofelectricity generated in them, causing them to be affected by theshifting of the magnetic lines, while the bad or non conductors, ifaffected at all, are not acted upon to the same extent as the goodconductors.

In carrying out my invention I arrange radially upon a vertical spindlea number of horizontally projecting electro magnets, which are connectedwith a source of energy (preferably one or more dynamo or magneto electric machines) by means of conductors and commutator brushes or.springs. The vertical spindle is revolved. by an electromotor, or bydirect connection with the engine that drives the dynamo or magnetoelectric machine;

Upon a frame or support at a suitable distance from the paths describedby the poles of the magnets are arranged armatures of iron, there beingan armature for each radial set of magnets on the spindle. Directlyabove the space between the armatures and magnets is a hopper having asingle small opening in its bottom located in line with the center ofthis space, and below the space is a vertical 6o partition, uponopposite sides of which the conductors and non-conductors fall. Themagnets are surrounded by an inclosing-cylinder, so that the disturbanceof the air caused by their movement will not affect the falling body ofmaterial.

In operation the magnets are energized and revolved, producing amagnetic field between them and the armatures, the lines of force beingconstantly advanced in the direction that the magnetic poles move. Themingled conductors and non-conductors fall in a small stream throughthis field, and While the nonconductors drop in a straight line, orsubstantially so, upon one side of the partition, the conductors becomeelectrically charged by cutting the lines of force, and are deflected bythe movement of such lines to the other side of the partition.

It is evident that the armatures may be revolved, instead of theelectro-magnets, with the same results.

The foregoing will be better understood by reference to the drawing, inwhich the apparatus is represented in perspective, theinclosing-cylinder being partly broken away to show the magnets.

A A represent the electro-magnets, and B the vertical spindle thatsupports them, revolved by belt a.

1 and 2 are the conductors from the dynamo or magneto electric machine,and b and b the commutator brushes or springs.

O C are the iron armatures; D, the hopper; E, the dividing-partition,andF the inclosing- 5 cylinder.

IVhat I claim is 1. The method of separating mingled conductors andnon-conductors of electricity, consisting in causing them to falltogether 100 through a magnetic field Whose lines of force areconstantly shifting, whereby the trajectory 1o tro-1nagnets, thestationary armatures, and l the hopper situated over the space betweensaid magnets and arlnatures, whereby the trajectory 01' material fallingfrom said h0pper may be changed, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this I 5 11th day of August,1881.

TI'IOS. A. EDISON. W'itnesses:

RICHD. N. DYER, IT. W. SEELY.

